Medicine
by SnowRedWings
Summary: Billy thought she was dead, her absence leaving a gaping hole where his heart used to be. Out on assignment, he discovers that his medic wasn't dead after all... Drabble. OneShot. RebeccaXBilly.


Billy Coen was on assignment, only his name wasn't Billy anymore and that old life was as far behind him as he could get it. According to the BSAA identification card tucked into the front pocket of his military issue vest, his name was now Jack Rivers. His hair was buzzed short and he had taken to smoking cigarettes, one now perched on the edge of his lip as he leaned against the wall of the supposed Umbrella base he was staking out. Exhaling, he watched the pale smoke curl listlessly through the air. It leveled his nerves, relaxed him though he was surely so close to death – luck only lasted for so long, and he was sure he was bound to run out.

Spitting the butt out, he turned and leapt, gripping the wall tightly and to pull himself up and over. It was a fantastic show of upper body strength, the man silent as the night as he let himself fall to the cold ground on the other side. The place appeared to be abandoned though he knew from experience looks were far from the truth, drawing his assault rifle and holding it in the ready fire position as he neared the strangely unlocked door that would take him inside. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, a shot rang out and bullet buried itself in the Kevlar sheathing his arm from danger. Digging the bullet out, he threw it against the stone floor with a grunt of disapproval.

"Is that all ya got, Umbrella dog?!" Bill shouted, voice echoing in the small space. There was a shuffling of material but no more shots were fired, the agent almost snarling in his anger. Umbrella and their meat bags were nothing but cowards, spitting out more and more men – lives – they deemed dispensable without a second thought. And they had taken his Rebecca. His medic, the only girl he had ever given a damn about. He was contemplating rushing up the stairs and shoving that enemy operative out of his way but he did not want to risk getting hurt. "I don't trust any of you rat bastards!" Not after they had taken Rebecca... He wouldn't forgive any of them. That woman was all he had and they ripped her from him without a second thought. That was why he joined the BSAA, risked everything. To get her back.

"Don't shoot! I only want to talk!" A voice called, muffled by the gas mask they were surely wearing. Billy scoffed and took another step back towards the door he had just entered, unsure of how to approach; he could kill the undead but he wasn't sure about a man that put a face to voice, a life to the endless surge of bodies that came at him.

"Like hell!" But the Umbrella solider was already advancing down the stairs, a mask clattering to the cement steps.

"Listen to me, you idiot." Billy felt his entire being lock down at the sound of that voice, heart aching in his chest. It filled him with such agony, he never thought possible. "Look me in the eyes and tell me honestly that you'd actually shoot me." His back was against the door now, forearm shielding his eyes from the undeniable truth. Umbrella had turned her against him, used her just like they had used Jill against Chris. They truly knew no boundaries, their villainy never ended. _No, it couldn't be._ The Umbrella agent was in front of him now and he lowered his arm, floored by what he saw. Slack jaw worked as he tried to process what he seeing, his gun slipping from his fingers and hitting his thigh as it dangled from the strap. "R-Rebecca?"

She stood there, dressed in all black gear up to her neck, red and white logo patched on the left breast of her jacket. A vision to his sore eyes, a soothing balm to his aching heart; Billy couldn't believe he was awake.

"God dammit, Billy, I've never been so happy to hear someone say my name." Then she was against his chest, burying her face against the rough material of his uniform. His arms wound tightly around her shoulder blades, squeezing her to him. Just like that, it was as if his heart had never broken. The storm had never hung heavy over his head, blocking the sunshine that was her smile. He released her only to capture her face between his hands and crush her mouth against his, the kiss only lasting half a moment before he buried his face in her hair. There were no words to express the relief that surged over him like a tidal wave.

"They told me you were dead." The BSAA had little to no information about her disappearance, the woman vanishing without a trace. Her mail hadn't been collected, her cellphone shut off after he had called it day after day in vain hope she would finally answer. He had filled her voicemail inbox with everything from angry to sad messages; Billy had called one night after he had drunk himself into a stupor, unable to walk or get up from the hotel bed he had collapsed on. He had sobbed into the phone, begging her to come back, telling her that he needed her – without her he was dead inside. Eventually, not even the alcohol could numb his pain and he had to find her. Her voicemail inbox was full, and a few days later, the number stopped connecting.

"Who?" She responded softly, eyes searching his when she had leaned back into the support of his strong arms. He smoothed a gloved thumb over the tear that slithered down her cheek, bending to kiss her again. It was filled with longing and sadness, expressing just how much his soul had yearned for her while she was away. Rebecca's lips were incredibly soft. If Billy could touch the clouds, he imagined that was what they would feel like.

"The BSAA. I joined up with them after I couldn't find you on my own." He didn't tell her that he had burned through the last of his savings hiring every private detective in the book only to hear the same thing – disappeared without a trace. In a way, joining up the anti-terror group was his last ditch effort and as much as a suicide. He volunteered for every mission he could, hunting for Rebecca in every spare moment he had. Now, he only thought was on how to get her out of there alive.

"You're going back out the way I came. There's a copter out there that'll take ya back to the BSAA base. I can't risk losing you. Not again..." Immediately her expression morphed to one of disapproval, her head shaking slightly even as he pulled her close and let his forehead fall to rest on her shoulder. "Please, Rebecca. I couldn't take it." She was still staring at him when he straightened his back, eyes full of that unruly conviction of hers.

"I'm going with you, by your side until the end." He rolled his eyes and pulled the goggles from around her neck, discarding them on the floor. He followed suit with almost every article of Umbrella gear until she stood in nothing more than a bullet proof vest and cargo pants. Bill then shrugged out of his BSAA jacket and draped it over her shoulders, zipping it for her as if she were a child. Tenderly, he placed a kiss on the top of her head and pulled her against his chest.

"Then we're leaving together. The BSAA be damned, they can send someone else." She made no protest as he led her back out into the chilly darkness, picking her up easily and setting her down on his shoulder so she could clamber over the white rock wall.

"Okay, I'm over." Rebecca called, her voice carried away by a bitter wind that suddenly kicked up. The door they had exited from slammed open and Billy wiped around, lifting his gun to return the fire that the Umbrella goonies were spraying him down with. "Billy!"

Her heart was in her throat as she listened to the exchange of bullets, crying out when she heard the familiar agonized call of man she loved. Her hands flew to her mouth, gripping her cheeks as she strained to hear anything in the ringing silence. Her thoughts were bitter, tearing her heart to shreds as they took the worst possible route. The tears refused to stop, the woman viciously wiping them away on the rough sleeve of the jacket. The material made her flesh sing with pain as it rubbed her pale skin raw.

"Becca?" His voice was soft, tentative; as if he wasn't sure she would be there. She looked up and watched as he struggled to climb over the wall, catching a glimpse of his pained face before he disappeared again. "I don't think I can climb out."

"NO! Billy!" Her voice was lanced through him worse than any bullet or knife, renewing his efforts, "Please try... Please." She was desperate, pleading with him not to give up. Never before had he heard her sound so stricken, the tears making her voice thick. He tried again, succeeding when he gave a roar of might and threw himself over.

"Awh, Rebecca, don't cry." He murmured, favoring his uninjured leg as he gave her that same wicked smirk. If he was hurting badly, he hid it well and it made the medic shake her head and smile. They were silent the rest of the way to the helicopter. When they were safely strapped into their seats and headed back to the base, Billy squeezed her hand a bit tighter and brought it up to his lips. He never wanted this girl out of his sight again.

"Rebecca," She turned to look at him, fatigue written all over her beautiful face. He curled a finger under her chin and poked the tip of her nose, laughing when she made a silly face and stuck her tongue out at him. "Don'tcha know? People that stick their tongues out wanna be kissed." Her eyebrows shot up, eyes daring him. So he did.

"You gonna take care of me when we get back?" He murmured, lips ghosting over hers. She smiled and rested her forehead against his. Her laugh was akin to the bells of angels.

"Of course, Billy. I'm your medic."


End file.
